


Closing the Distance

by Revans_Mask



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/F, First Kiss, First Time, Fluff and Smut, Minor Canon Deviations, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-06
Updated: 2015-10-05
Packaged: 2018-04-19 09:38:10
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 17,026
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4741544
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Revans_Mask/pseuds/Revans_Mask
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Before Korra left Republic City to recover from the battle with Zaheer, she and Asami shared a moment.  But it's been two years since then, and Asami isn't sure if there's still a chance for it to become something more.  A story of how their relationship might have developed over the latter part of Book 4.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hi, all. So, some of you may know me from my FemShep/Liara and occasional Dragon Age stories. I just finished binging LoK though, and I really felt the need to write a little Korrasami. This story is sort of "slightly-left-of-canon," in that it basically goes with the story as seen, but adds some bits that it might not have been possible to actually put into the show. It's my take on how the Korra/Asami relationship might have gotten started. I hope you enjoy it and please leave feedback if you do, or if you have constructive criticism or the like.

Asami Sato flexed her shoulders, trying to relieve a little of the soreness that had built up over the course of what had already been a very long day. The fatigue didn’t bother her though. Fatigue was good. The more hours she put into running Future Industries, the less time she had left over to worrying about anything else. Like the break-up of what had once been dubbed, “Team Avatar.” Like the latest in a series of letters from her father that sat on one corner of her desk, waiting to be packed away, unopened, with all the others. And like that kiss. Even now, two years later, Asami could still envision the moment as if she was living it: the strange way it had begun, the heat that ran through her body as it had been happening, and of course, what had come afterwards…

 

_Two Years Earlier_

“It’s almost time to leave, Korra.”

From her wheelchair on the other side of the room, Korra nodded. It was strange for Asami to see her like this. When they’d first met, the engineer had been awed by Korra’s power. How could she not be? Korra was the Avatar after all, and even though she’d turned out to be very human, silly, and vivacious, and impulsive all by turns, that sense of strength was always present.

Ever since the battle with Zaheer though, Korra had been different. In the two weeks she’d been staying with Asami, that remarkable energy had been missing. Some of it was just physical weakness, the lingering effects of the Red Lotus poison on her body, but it went deeper than that. She was subdued and sad all the time, as if something indefinable but precious had been taken out of her. Even the ceremony marking Jinora’s promotion to the rank of air bending master had brought her no joy. It made Asami’s heart ache to see her best friend like that, and all of the support and care she’d offered her hadn’t seemed to help.

Stepping up behind Korra, she gripped the handles of her wheelchair, only to be stopped by the Avatar’s hand coming up to cover one of hers. “Wait,” she said quietly, “Not yet.”

Asami let go immediately. “That’s fine. Is there something you need before we go?”

Korra shook her head. “No, it’s not that. I’m just not ready to see everyone else. Can I stay here a little longer?”

“Of course.” Asami took a seat opposite Korra, her eyes drawn to the woman in front of her. Even in her weakened state, the Avatar was still beautiful. It was something Asami had been noticing more and more. She hadn’t had much of a chance to think about it, not with the end of one world or another always imminent, but she couldn’t deny her attraction either. This wasn’t the time to do anything about it, though. Maybe when Korra was feeling more like herself, Asami could say something, but not now.

“So, how’s the company doing?”, Korra asked, clearly not eager to say more about her own feelings.

Asami did her best to be cheerful. “Not too badly. We’re still digging out from the mess that my father made, along with everything that happened with Varric’s pirates, but we’re making progress. There’s still a good market for Sato-mobiles and there are some government contracts in the works to help clean up the damage from Vaatu’s rampage and the spirit vines.”

“That’s good.” Korra offered, even though her voice was still subdued. “I know you’ll fix everything up here.”

She smiled. “I’ll do my best. And you just get yourself fixed up. Everyone wants to see you well.” Korra nodded, but though she gave the engineer a weak smile of her own, there were hints of tears in her blue eyes. The instinct to comfort her was overpowering, and Asami got up from her chair, closing the distance between them. She knelt in front of her friend, and clasped their hands together, trying to offer what little reassurance she could. Korra’s skin, calloused from years of training, felt good beneath her palms, but there was a slack in her grip as well. All throughout the weeks she’d been caring for Korra, that weakness had been there, and it was so strange to feel it in someone who was normally so full of life.

Korra’s voice was chocking when she finally spoke again. “I’ll miss you, Asami. I’ll miss everyone. But I have to do this. I need to get myself right, and there are just too many distractions in Republic City for me to do that here.”

Hearing the pain in Korra’s voice, it was a struggle for Asami to keep her own from cracking. She wanted so much to be there for Korra, to help her find a way to rid herself of whatever it was that was that was crushing her spirit. But she didn’t know how, and so all she could do was try to reassure her. “And everyone understands that,” she said. “We’re just going to miss you these next few weeks.” _Though I suspect I’ll miss you more than most._

Korra must have sensed some measure of her feelings, because she made an effort at doing some cheering up of her own. “Hey, I won’t be gone so long,” she told Asami. “I’ll be back before you know it.”

“I’m sure you will.”

A hug felt like the right thing then, and so Asami offered one, rising up far enough that she could put her arms around Korra and press her close. Korra returned the gesture, leaning forward in her chair so that she could get a better hold on Asami. The engineer had expected the embrace to be brief but Korra didn’t seem to want to let go. As the seconds went by, she only clung tighter, and Asami leaned in, uncertain of what was happening but unwilling to risk breaking the spell that had enveloped them.

Korra’s cheek brushed along hers, warm and smooth, and before Asami realized what the other woman was doing, the kiss had already begun. Korra’s lips caught hers, and the pressure made it immediately clear that this was more than a friendly peck. Asami’s lips parted instinctively, and as the kiss deepened, the heat of it made her moan softly. In response to the sound, Korra groaned, and Asami reached out, running her fingers through her long, dark hair. Her hand coaxed them closer together, even while her tongue brushed lightly against Korra’s own. Asami’s head was spinning. She’d been having idle daydreams of a moment like for some time, but they couldn’t hold a candle to the reality of actually kissing Korra.

And then, as suddenly as it had started, it was over. Korra pulled back, a dark blush covering her face. Asami looked up at her, but the Avatar refused to meet her eyes, instead turning towards the floor of the sitting room.

“I’m sorry,” Korra mumbled, “I didn’t mean to do that. It was… I made a mistake.”

“No, you didn’t. I wanted it too.” Asami reached out for Korra’s face. She wanted to reassure her with her touch as well as her words that the kiss had been welcome, but her attempt only made the other woman turn further away.

Korra buried her face in her own shoulder, and Asami could hear the tears that had been forming earlier escaping. “I can’t,” she muttered in-between sobs, “I really like you Asami, but I can’t be with anyone now. Not when I’m like this.”

 

_The Present_

Asami had told her that it was okay. That Korra should take all the time she needed to look after herself and that they’d talk more about what had happened when she got back. It had been hard to watch her sail away after that, but the engineer had told herself that it would only be a few weeks before they saw each other again. Surely, after all they’d been through already, that wasn’t so long to wait?

But then the weeks had turned into months, and the months into years. At first, Asami had let it rest, not wanting to pressure Korra, but eventually, she decided she didn’t want the Avatar to feel forgotten and so she’d written her a letter. Even then, though, she’d kept it friendly. In what she wrote, there was no mention of the kiss, of how much it had hurt to have a moment like that and then not see the person she’d shared it with. Korra needed her space. That’s what Asami kept telling herself even as the doubts had started to creep in.

_Was I wrong? Should I have told her just how much I miss her? Or did I make my mistake two years ago? It was Korra who kissed me, but I knew that she was vulnerable. Should I have stopped her?_

She had no idea. Whatever Korra was still wrestling with, she hadn’t shared it with Asami, and so the engineer tried to put aside the matter and bury herself in her work. Certainly, there was no shortage of that. Beneath the letter from her father was plenty more correspondence. Purchase orders and contracts, requests for jobs, ideas for new products, and underneath those…

Her heart nearly stopped when she saw the simple envelope sitting near the bottom of the pile. The postmark told her it came from the Southern Water Tribe, and the address… the address was the one Korra had given her before she left, the one she had mailed her own letter to a few months before. Her hands trembled as she opened it. After all this time, she didn’t know what she expected Korra to say to her, but just to have gotten a reply was enough to ignite a little spark of hope in Asami’s breast.

“Dear Asami,” the letter began, “I’m sorry I haven’t written to you sooner. Every time I’ve tried, I never know what to say. The past two years have been the hardest of my life. Even though I can get around fine, I still can’t go into the Avatar state. I keep having visions of Zaheer and what happened that day. Katara thinks a lot of this is in my head, so I’ve been meditating a lot, but sometimes I worry I’ll never fully recover.”

Asami’s heart caught in her chest, and she had to set the letter down on the desk for a moment while she waited for her breathing to slow down. In a way, she couldn’t be surprised that Korra was still struggling with what she’d endured; after all, she still hadn’t returned to Republic City yet. Despite that, reading the confirmation was still painful. Once more, she wished she could be with Korra, to let her know that no matter what she was feeling, Asami would always be there for her.

That wasn’t an option now though, and taking a deep breath, she picked back up the letter. “Please don’t tell Mako and Bolin I wrote to you and not them,” it continued. “I don’t want to hurt their feelings but it’s easier to tell you about this stuff. I don’t think they’d understand. I’m not sure what else to say. I haven’t forgotten what happened between us before I left, but I still don’t have any answers for you. Maybe someday, I’ll be ready to face everyone again, and if that time comes, there’s no one I want to see more, but I just don’t know. All I can do for now is wish you good luck with your company, and tell you that I hope you’re happy. Love, Korra.”

Asami’s head was spinning as she finished reading, Korra’s voice echoing in her thoughts. She didn’t know if she should feel better or worse than she had before she opened the envelope. There was so much to be worried over, and so much hurt behind the words. And yet, a part of her couldn’t help but be encouraged. Encouraged that Korra hadn’t forgotten about her, that she was still thinking of what they’d shared, that maybe there would still be a chance for them. It was a piece of hope, and sometimes, that was what you had to hold onto, no matter how hard it was.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, just as the last chapter elaborated on the letter exchange between Korra and Asami, this one expands a bit on the restaurant scene in Reunion.

Korra was scared. It wasn’t the full-fledged, paralyzing terror that her flashbacks induced, but as she stood outside of the hotel, she was definitely nervous. For the first time in years, she was going to see two of the most important people in her life, and she didn’t know how either of them was going to feel about her. Especially Asami. A huge part of whatever emotional energy Korra hadn’t used working on her recovery had been spent obsessing over what had happened between the two of them that day in the Sato mansion.

 _I screwed everything up was what happened._ That was the thought that had kept running through her head for three years now. _I knew I was going to have to leave, and I kissed her anyway. And now, I may have ruined our relationship before it even got started._

Still, Korra couldn’t turn back just because she was afraid of what might happen next. If she bailed on this reunion now, she really would throw away whatever hope she had left, and so, taking a meditative breath to soothe her nerves, she pushed open the gilded doors of the hotel and walked inside.

It was never hard to find Asami. Even in a crowd, she always stood out and today was no exception. Seeing her sitting there in one of the lobby’s easy chairs reading a magazine, Korra’s heart immediately sped up. Asami was wearing a striking red and dark grey suit, with her hair pulled back to emphasize the strong lines of her face. She was somehow even more beautiful than Korra remembered, and when she looked up and flashed a warm smile at her, rational thought largely abandoned the Avatar.

“I hope you haven’t been waiting long, ” were the only words she could think to say.

“Only three years,” Asami laughed, and Korra immediately felt like a blithering idiot _. As if you don’t seem look like enough of an insensitive clod already, you had to go and say something like that._

Before she could descend any further into self-recriminations though, Asami was up out of her chair and in Korra’s arms. The engineer’s dark hair brushed over her face, and Korra breathed in her smell: clean and warm, with just a hint of berries from her shampoo. It was just as Korra had remembered it, and for as long as the hug lasted, it felt as if all the time apart could simply melt away, especially when Asami’s next words were, “It’s so good to see you again.”

“You too,” she said back, even as the knot in stomach began to unclench itself. _This could be going so much worse._

She realized that she still hadn’t let go of Asami, and reluctantly, she made herself pull back. Whatever was happening, this definitely wasn’t the right place for her to totally lose her composure. The increase in space also gave Asami a better chance to see her and the engineer commented, “And I’m loving the hair.”

Asami’s smile broadened as she gave the compliment, and Korra realized that she must be blushing fiercely. She turned away, trying to hide just how much she appreciated the words. “And you’re looking snazzy as always,” she blurted out.

 _Spirits, but she really does._ When Korra had first met Asami, she’d been a little intimidated. They’d both been interested in Mako back then, and Korra had worried about competing with someone so gorgeous and elegant, but that was a long time ago. Now, her interest in Asami was of an entirely different sort.

“Come on,” Asami told her while Korra tried to keep her more lascivious thoughts from running amok, “Mako got us a table at the restaurant.”

 

Sadly, the dinner hadn’t gone nearly as smoothly as her initial reunion with Asami. Korra had been happy when Mako greeted her with a friendly hug, but that was before it turned out that Prince Wu had invited himself to join them for dinner. The exiled heir to the Earth Kingdom had wasted no time making a complete ass of himself, putting his arm around Korra, leering at her even after she moved it off, and generally making it very hard for her to enjoy a dinner with old friends.

Wu’s behavior was just the appetizer, though. The real trouble began when he asked Korra to go into the Avatar state, because when she said no, Asami asked, “So can you go into the Avatar state again? I was worried when you told me you couldn’t.”

For a split second, the worry in Asami’s voice touched Korra, but before she could say anything back to her, Mako interjected. “Wait. When did she tell you she couldn’t do that? What’s going on with you two?”

Asami looked over at Korra, clearly guilty over having given away their secret, but the Avatar felt even worse. She’d put Asami in this situation by asking her to lie about their correspondence, and of course, “What’s going on with you two,” was a question that was a lot more complicated than Mako probably realized. _Unless Asami told him about the kiss. It’s not like I could blame her for needing advice. I wasn’t exactly here to talk about it myself._

Still, the least Korra could do was take responsibility for the trouble she’d started, and so she admitted, “I wrote to Asami while I was away. I asked her not to tell you. Sorry.”

“Why didn’t you ever write to me? Or Bolin?”

Korra’s eyes fixed themselves on the table. On some level, she knew it would be hurtful to her other friends if this ever came out but, as low as she’d been feeling, she hadn’t really had the presence of mind to worry about it. “I guess I didn’t know what to say,” she offered ruefully.

“Hello would’ve been nice.”

Mako was right, but before Korra could say that, Prince Wu chose that moment to look up from the cucumber water he’d been sucking down and interject himself into the conversation. “Mako, if it makes you feel any better, she didn’t write me either.”

Mako looked as confused by that remark as Korra felt. “Why would she…”, he started to ask before slumping down in his chair with a sulky expression on his face. “Never mind.”

“I’m sorry I didn’t stay in touch,” Korra said. She wasn’t sure Mako could entirely understand what she’d been feeling. It was part of why she hadn’t written him in the first place, and so maybe it was better to just try and move past the whole thing now. She put on her best smile and switched tactics. “But I’m back now. And I want to know everything about what’s been going on with you two.”

Asami smiled in return, those hers felt less forced. “Well, I kind of have some big news. I went to visit my father for the first time. He’d been writing me letters, and I guess I finally felt ready to try and forgive him.”

“Are you sure you can trust him?”, Korra asked. She was thankful that Asami had gone along with her attempt to change the subject, but this wasn’t at all what she’d expected to hear and it worried her. “He might just be manipulating you again.”

At her words, Asami bristled, her eyes narrowing in irritation. “You think I don’t know what my own father is capable of.”

Korra put up hands defensively and protested, “No, no, I didn’t mean…”, but it was too late. Her concern had made her speak without thinking, and now Asami’s ire was up. She snapped back, “You don’t get to disappear for three years and then act like you know what’s best for me.”

All of the anxiety that their initial, warm exchange had banished was bubbling back up to the surface. A part of Korra had always known that Asami would be hurt and angry, but she’d wanted so much to believe that didn’t have to be the case. That she could come back and they could return to their easy, close friendship, and perhaps even the relationship they’d been on the cusp of starting when she left for the Southern Water Tribe.

“It’s not like I planned to be gone that long,” she pleaded, desperate to find some way to salvage her mistake. “I wanted to come back but I never felt ready until now.”

Once more, Wu interjected himself into the conversation, seemingly oblivious to the emotional whirlpool he was disturbing. “As much as I’m enjoying this little catch-up, my royal bladder is about to explode,” he informed them with a snap of his fingers. “Mako, come on. I need you to stand guard.”

Mako rolled his eyes, and Korra felt a sudden rush of sympathy for her ex-boyfriend. As hard as many of the challenges she’d faced as the Avatar were, this was a new one even to her. She couldn’t imagine being forced to cater to the whims of this spoiled idiot all the time. Apparently, Mako was pretty sick of it too. “I’m not going to hold your hand every time you need to empty your royal bladder,” he declared. “Go to the bathroom on your own for once.”

Wu’s shoulders slumped as if Mako had just refused a totally reasonable request. “Fine,” he declared before slinking off in the direction of the restrooms.

Korra turned to Mako, grateful for the interruption from her own clash with Asami. “Do you always go to the bathroom with him?”, she teased.

“I don’t go with him, with him,” Mako protested, clearly not happy with the entire subject. “I just stand there in the general vicinity while he…” His words trailed off as he slumped down in his seat, and all he finally said was, “I don’t wanna talk about it.”

Not talking seemed to be contagious. As she tried to avoid looking her friends in the eye, Korra felt paralyzed. Not only was she guilty over having hurt both of them, there was no way to say what she really had to. As much as she wanted to repair her friendship with Mako, what she needed most was to talk to Asami. Being near her again had made it abundantly clear to Korra that she was just as crazy about the engineer as ever, and she desperately needed to find out if she’d ruined any chance they might have had. Unfortunately, that wasn’t exactly a good conversation to have in front of someone who’d previously gone out with both of them, and so Korra instead said nothing.

Whatever their own reasons, no one else spoke either, and the three of them sat in sullen silence for what felt like an eternity, but couldn’t have been more than a few minutes before the waiter arrived bearing Prince Wu’s spicy octopus fritters. In spite of her emotional turmoil, Korra had to admit they smelled good. She picked one up, but even as she bit down on it, Mako commented, “I wonder what’s taking Wu so long. He’s not one to miss out on lunch. I’ll go check on him.”

He got up from the table, and while Korra took a tangy bite of the appetizer, Asami finally spoke again. “I didn’t mean to get so angry at you,” she said.

Korra gulped down her food, almost choking on it in her eagerness to respond to the conciliatory gesture. “You were right, though. I shouldn’t have said that about visiting your father. I’m sure you know what you’re doing.”

“Thank you.” Asami sighed. “But I don’t think my father is what we were really getting on each other about.”

Korra shook her head, summoning up the courage to press on. “No, you’re right. I guess we’re going to have to talk about, you know, the kiss.”

She could see Asami’s eyes hardening at then, her irritation surging back. “I’ve been here this whole time, waiting to do just that.”

Korra tried to think of a response, but she kept getting distracted by the sight of Asami next to her. The engineer had straightened herself up and a flush colored her normally pale face. _Why does she have to look so lovely when she’s mad at me. It’s not fair._

“I know you have,” she finally conceded, a pleading note creeping into her voice. “But maybe it’s not too late to have it now.”

“I’m not sure now would be the best time,” Asami pointed out, her tone difficult for Korra to read. “Mako and Wu should be back any second now.”

 _Come to think of it, what’s taking them so long?_ Korra’s well-honed sense of danger was kicking in, pushing aside her need for an immediate emotional resolution. “Actually,” she said, “Maybe we should see why they’re not back already.”

“That just might be a good idea,” Asami agreed. Korra wasn’t sure if she really thought so, or simply wanted out of their conversation, but either way, the two of them abandoned their fritters and made their way towards the men’s room.

Just as they arrived at the corridor that contained the restrooms though, something caught Korra’s eye. Out through an open service door, a few men were tossing sacks of what appeared to be laundry into the back of a truck. Which would be perfectly normal, except that one of the loaders was dressed in the formal garb of a restaurant attendant. _Either this place is REALLY fancy, or something’s not right here._

She turned to Asami. “I’ll be right back.”

Walking out onto the loading dock, she asked the suspiciously well-dressed man, “Did you happen to see if Prince Wu came out this way?”

Before the man could answer, Wu’s head emerged from out of one of the sacks already loaded onto the back of the truck. He bore a dazed look on his face, and when he spoke, he sounded thoroughly loopy, proclaiming, “I’m in laundry,” before collapsing down into the pile of bags.

While Korra was looking at this strange sight, the attendant took advantage of her distraction. His Earthbending caught the Avatar off guard, throwing her from her feet and sending her crashing into a stack of empty boxes. It didn’t really hurt, but while she was on her back, the truck containing the prince was already peeling away down the alleyway as her attacker made a run for it.

Drawn by the commotion, both Asami and Mako had dashed out to Korra’s side before she had a chance to rise. “They’ve got Wu,” she barked out. “Get the car. I’m going after them.” The other two rushed to do so, and Korra sprang back up to her feet. She knew it was wrong, but a part of her was almost relieved by this sudden turn of events. At that moment, fighting Kuvira’s kidnappers seemed easier that dealing with all the hurt feelings she’d left in her wake.


	3. Chapter 3

It had taken a car chase, some communing with the Spirit Vines, a battle inside a train, and Korra air bending their whole group off of said train while it was still moving, but in the end, Prince Wu had been recovered. The three members of the reunited Team Avatar had decided he would be safest at Asami’s mansion, where Korra discovered that a considerable number of Mako and Bolin’s relative from the Earth Kingdom were already staying. Their staunchly monarchist grandmother lost no time in fawning over the prince, and while everyone else was distracted by her excitement, Korra was able to slip away unnoticed.

She was feeling a bit better than before. The familiar rhythms of a shared adventure had gone a long way towards moving the of them past the awkwardness that had dominated lunch that afternoon. But it wasn’t enough for Korra. Maybe she was rushing things, but she had to talk to Asami. She knew they couldn’t solve all of their problems today, but at least they could try and make some kind of a start.

The Avatar crept through the house, trying not to attract anyone else’s attention while she searched. The place was absolutely huge, and she had to poke her head into plenty of empty rooms until she finally found her quarry. Asami was sitting by herself in one of the smaller sitting rooms, slumped down on a short, grey couch. She’d let her hair out of the braid it had been in earlier, and she looked tied, not just physically but mentally. The sight was almost enough to make Korra turn away, but she told herself that if things went well, she would be making things better for Asami, not worse.

“Hey, there,” she started out, conscious of her own trepidation. She hadn’t been as nervous about having these kinds of conversations with Mako. Was it because of the changes she’d been through, or because Asami was more important to her than he’d been? She didn’t know, but she suspected the answer was some of both.

“Hello, Korra.” Asami sounded pleased to see her, but there was also a cautious note in her voice that Korra knew she was entitled to. She’d put Asami through a lot, and so she decided to start off with a hopefully safe topic.

“So, do you like having all of these people living here with you?” She thought it might be a good thing for Asami; the place had seemed so empty after her father went to jail, but given that they’d fought about him earlier, Korra decided not to mention that thought.

Asami shrugged. “It’s worked out fairly well. They’re good people, even if Mako’s grandmother does keep trying to set me up with him.”

“That’s awkward.” Korra laughed, but inwardly she breathed a little sigh of relief. If Asami was still available to be set up, that hopefully meant she wasn’t with anybody else.

“Fortunately, Mako’s been a gentleman about it,” Asami added. “He doesn’t want to explain our whole past to her, but he knows it’s over.”

“Yeah, I think both of us are done with the whole ‘dating Mako’ thing,” Korra added with a nervous smile. Asami rewarded her attempt at humor with a little chuckle, and Korra, paused, gathering up her courage before she continued. _Okay, here goes nothing._ “And what about us?”, she asked. “Are we done too?”

“I don’t think we ever really got started,” Asami pointed out.

“No, we didn’t. And I think I should explain myself. When we kissed…”

“When you kissed me,” Asami corrected her. She sounded somewhere between upset and sad, as if she couldn’t decide where to put everything she was feeling. “You kissed me and then you left.”

Korra saw tears starting to form in those incredible, green eyes of Asami’s and it put her more on the defensive than any show of anger could have. The knowledge that she’d hurt the engineer was like a knife in her side, one that she had to try and pull out before it did any more damage. “You’re right; I did that. But I didn’t want to,” she explained. “It was something I had to do.”

Asami’s voice cracked as she asked, “Then why the kiss? If you knew you had to leave, then why do that first?”

“Because I wanted to,” Korra blurted out. She’d been waiting for three years to explain herself, and now it was time to put her cards on the table. The thought that the truth might not be enough was agonizing, but she wasn’t going to lie to Asami. “I was hurting so much, and just for a second, I let myself believe that kissing you could make it all better. And it was a great kiss. Really. When it started, all I could think about was how great it was. But it didn’t fix what was hurting inside of me. And I had to do that before I could be with you. I’m so sorry, Asami. I know it must have been terrible to get jerked around like that, but I didn’t mean for it to happen that way. You have to believe me.”

Her heart rate had been speeding up as she spoke, but before she could descend into a full-blown panic, a hand closed around hers and strong fingers caressed the back of her knuckles. The pressure was soothing, and when she looked into Asami’s eyes, it was sympathy that she saw there, not the earlier anger. “I do. You made a mistake, but I can’t imagine that you ever wanted to hurt me.”

“Never,” she hurried to agree. “And it’s been tearing me up for three years that I did anyway. That, and thinking that I’d screwed up whatever it was that was happening with us, ‘cause that’s the last thing I wanted to do and…”

A further squeeze of Asami’s hand slowed down Korra’s racing train of thought once more. “You know, it was right here in this room that we kissed,” she pointed out.

“Really?” Korra hadn’t realized it when she came in; there were so many rooms in the mansion and she’d been in a daze that day. The kiss, she remembered very clearly, but a lot of the rest was a blur. Still, looking around, she could see it; the couch hadn’t been in here at the time, but yeah, it was definitely the same room.

“Really,” Asami affirmed. “I think that’s why I came here just now. Everything that happened today really stirred up those old feelings. It’s not like they ever went away, but actually seeing you was still pretty intense.”

 _They never went away!_ Korra felt a surge of hope more powerful than the thrill of any bending match run through her. Three years ago, she’d fallen on her ass, but this thing wasn’t over yet. “So,” she asked, “Do you think there might still be a shot for us? I know I don’t have a right to ask, but do you think we could try again?”

This time, it was Asami who kissed her. She leaned in close to take Korra’s head in her hands before guiding them together. As the kiss began, Korra could feel the wetness of the tears Asami had been holding back start to run down her face, but the firm press of her lips left no doubt that she wanted this.

Unlike three years ago, nothing interrupted them now. Korra could just drink in the warmth of the kiss, parting her lips to let Asami’s tongue dance over hers, while she tangled one hand in the engineer’s long, dark hair. She lost herself in the sensations, savoring every detail of what she’d wanted for so long.

When they at last pulled apart, Asami kept a hand on Korra’s face, brushing those long fingers of hers over the Avatar’s cheek. “I’ve waited three years to for the chance to do that again, so yes, I think we can try and make it work. It’s only…” She paused, temporarily withdrawing her hand, and Korra held her breath as she waited to hear what would come next. “I know why you had to leave, but if we’re going to do this, I need to know you’re not about to do it again.”

Korra’s first impulse was to insist that she would never do that, but she exhaled and then took in a deep breath before she answered. As far as she had come since she last left Republic City, she wasn’t entirely right. Her battle with Kuvira had proven that, as did the fact that she still couldn’t enter the Spirit World. And yet, solitude had already done her whatever good it was going to. Now, she wanted the love and support of the people she cared for, most especially the one sitting in front of her.

“I swear I won’t,” she said softly. “This is where I’m supposed to be now. I can’t tell you it’s gonna be easy to be with me, though. I don’t know if you heard about what happened at Zaofu, but I’m still kind of messed up.”

Asami smiled. It was a tearful smile, but also a totally unforced one, spreading until it covered her whole face. “I don’t need it to be easy, Korra. I just need you to be here with me.”

“I am.” Korra could feel her face starting to grow wet as well, but these were happy tears, and she leaned in for another kiss. The Avatar threw herself into the moment unreservedly, sliding across the couch and into Asami’s arms. It felt natural the way their bodies flowed together, and Korra ran her hands along the engineer’s coat, caressing the frame beneath it. She wanted to feel Asami’s curves, but more than that, she needed the physical confirmation that this really was happening, that her absence hadn’t cost her what she wanted most.

Even after they had to come up for air, Korra wasn’t ready to let the moment end. She buried her face in Asami’s neck, and her lips began to explore its pale skin. The first few small kisses drew out soft gasps, but when she found the right spot at the base of Asami’s throat, she was rewarded with a throatier moan than made Korra’s whole body shiver with desire. She’d spent so much time worrying if they could do this at all, she realized she hadn’t left nearly enough time to consider how good it might be if they did.

She kept going, her hands continuing to caress Asami’s shoulders and back while her mouth found new places to plant kisses, but after a few more of them, she felt the engineer’s hand on her head, coaxing her back. Asami’s face was flushed with desire and she was panting for breath, but there was also a hesitant look in her eyes. “Wait,” she managed to gasp out, “I… I’m not sure I’m ready to go too far just yet.”

“Oh, I’m sorry,” Korra quickly told her, “I didn’t mean to…” _Well, that isn’t quite true. You definitely meant to keep on kissing her. You just weren’t thinking about what was going to come next._ She corrected herself. “I meant, I wasn’t exactly planning to keep going. Kissing you just felt so good that I kind of went with it.”

“I know,” Asami laughed, threading her fingers through Korra’s hair and caressing the dark strands affectionately. “And I was enjoying it.” She took a breath, her own arousal still evident on her face. “A lot. I just need a little time to get used to all of this: you being back, us being together, plus of course everything that’s going on with Kuvira.”

Korra blushed. “Oh, yeah. That stuff.” She realized that she hadn’t thought about the “Great Uniter,” or Prince Wu, or any of the rest of what was happening in the Earth Kingdom for quite some time now. “I guess I really missed my chance to have a few quiet months in Republic City to work things out with you, didn’t I?”

Asami smiled at her, wrapping her arms around Korra once more. “It’s all right. I like it when you make my life interesting.” She leaned in closer, her voice dropping to a husky whisper that made Korra’s heart immediately speed up. “And just because I wanted to go slowly, doesn’t mean you have to leave just yet.”

Korra opened her mouth to express her approval, but before she could actually get any words out, Asami’s lips found hers once more, and the Avatar found that really, there wasn’t anything else she had to say that couldn’t wait until later.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know there's other stuff I should be working on, but I really can't get this story out of my head. We're really into the romance now, though you will have to wait a little longer for the smut. Thanks for reading and please leave you thoughts on the chapter.


	4. Chapter 4

She had been racing towards the forest when the explosion hit. A flash of purple so bright Asami couldn’t look at it filled the sky, and she stopped short, diving into an alley and shielding her head with her hands. For a few seconds, the roar of the energy blast drowned out everything else, and then, as suddenly as it had begun, the corona of energy retreated, pulling back into itself.

Once the coast seemed clear, Asami ran back out into the street and looked in the direction the blast had come from. What she saw was shocking. The forest of Spirit Vines that had occupied the center of Republic City was gone, and in its place, a massive column of yellow light now soared up into the sky. Asami had no idea as to the how of this, but one thought still filled her head: _It was Korra. Somehow, it must have been Korra who did this._

Asami’s heart caught in her throat. From here, at least, the devastation at the heart of the blast seemed total. Could anyone or anything have survived a catastrophe of that magnitude?

Whatever the answer, she had to know, and as she ran towards the blast site, she tried her best to calm her racing thoughts. Korra was the Avatar, she reminded herself. If anyone could come through this alive, it was her. And yet, the thought of having lost her refused to relinquish its hold on Asami. They had barely begun to explore their new relationship after that first afternoon, and she couldn’t believe that now they might never get the chance. It was an overwhelmingly cruel thought, especially after what had happened to her father.

Tears started to gather in her eyes at the thought of him, crushed by Kuvira’s titan as he finished carving an entrance for the strike team, but Asami did her best to hold them back. Later, she would mourn for the man she had only just begun to forgive. First, she had to find Korra and know if she would be grieving for her too.

When she reached the crater at the center of the blast, though, there was nothing to give her hope. The ground had been scythed clean, the shattered remains of the titan’s canon stood propped up there, and the Spirit Vines had been obliterated, but of the Avatar herself, there was no sign. Others had started to gather as well: Tenzin and his children, Mako and Bolin, and many of the others who had fought against Kuvira, and all of them ran over the area, searching for any sign of Korra. There were no answers, though, only increasing frantic calls that echoed the growing panic in Asami’s heart.

Just because Korra wasn’t there, though, didn’t mean that nothing was happening. All around the rim of the crater, varied and colorfully glowing creatures were manifesting, and Asami realized that the beam of light must be a new portal to the Spirit Realm. For a moment, everyone else was diverted from looking for the missing Avatar, starring instead at this new development in awe.

It was Tenzin who broke the silence. “The spirits have returned.”

Asami wasn’t so easily distracted, but seconds later, she too saw something. Two figures were emerging out of the portal, and her heart soared as she realized who one of them was.

“And so has Korra,” she cried out.

The other person was quite interesting too. Kuvira had her arm slung over Korra’s shoulder for support but even aside from that weakness, she seemed utterly broken. Not just physically, though she’d clearly had better days, but emotionally. Her head was hung low, her shoulders slumped, and there was no doubt that she had been profoundly defeated.

Korra, by contrast, looked remarkable. Certainly, she was disheveled from the battle she’d just been through, but she still radiated power. When she’d come back to Republic City, she’d seemed better than when she’d left, and better still after she confronted Zaheer, but now the aura of strength around her was palpable, even at a distance. Seeing it filled Asami with a mixture of relief, joy and, an unexpected but pleasant tingle of arousal.

Bolin gave voice to the excitement all of them were feeling, yelling out, “Ha ha, you’re okay!”

There was no time to enjoy the moment though. A number of the Earth Empire’s mechs had made their way to the crater, and now they advanced, forming a semi-circle around the assembled group. One of them whom Asami presumed to be their leader demanded, “Release Kuvira or we will attack.”

Surprisingly, it was Kuvira herself who spoke next. “Stand down,” she ordered her soldiers. “This battle is over. I owe the Avatar my life. Her power is beyond anything I could ever hope to achieve. I’ll accept whatever punishment the world sees fit.”

Instinctively, Asami knew Kuvira was right. In that moment, she had no doubt that Korra could have easily destroyed the enemy forces if she had to, but there was no need. The ever-compliant soldiers of the Earth Empire lowered their weapons and as they backed away, Kuvira held out her wrists, allowing Chief Beifong to place a pair of restraints around them without complaint. It was strange to see her like that, and Asami suddenly thought of the way Korra had been after the battle with Zaheer. Her girlfriend had never possessed Kuvira’s cruel arrogance, but the powerful bender’s loss of confidence was still hauntingly familiar.

As she was led away, Kuvira turned to the woman who had raised her, saying, “And Suyin, I’m sorry for the anguish I caused you and your family.”

Suyin did not seem to take the apology well, only telling Kuvira, “You’re going to answer for everything you’ve done.”

Asami could hardly blame her for anger. After all, it was Kuvira who had killed her father, but the engineer didn’t give voice to her own feelings. She was too relieved that Korra was alive and whole, and she reached out to the Avatar, putting an arm around her shoulder.

They hadn’t told anyone else about their relationship yet. Given how big a surprise they expected it would come as, and how crazy everything had been, the time hadn’t seemed right. Now, though, Asami needed to feel the reality of Korra’s survival, and she was prepared to risk some exposure to do it.

Even more than usual, the Avatar’s muscled shoulder felt solid under her touch, but though the sensation was enough to make her shiver, no one else noticed. They were all too busy giving expression to their own joy. Bolin came in for a hug of his own, and Tenzin’s children followed close behind. Soon enough, the entire group was gathered together in a single, massive embrace, all of them taking a moment to appreciate that, once more, they had made it through.

***

The chaotic aftermath of the battle took a while to settle down. Every time Korra thought it was over, more people would appear, bearing reports of damage, coordination of the Earth army’s withdrawal, and concerns over the new spirit portal that had to be addressed. She dealt with them as best she could, but in the back of her mind, the need to talk to Asami was ever-present.

Once there was finally a lull in the stream of reports, she gave the engineer a little tug on her sleeve. Asami turned to look at her, and the smile on her face was enough to make Korra melt a little bit. Even though they hadn’t had much time for themselves since their second (and third, and fourth, and a bunch more) kisses, she was finding that just the fact of their relationship could be enough to make her happy.

“You have a minute, Asami?”

“Of course.”

The two of them begun making their way out of small crowd of people doing damage control. As they walked, Korra was conscious of how many eyes were on them, and especially on her. Being the Avatar meant she was seldom anonymous, and today’s events weren’t going to do anything to change that.

Perhaps sensing her thoughts, Asami said, “You realize people will find out about us pretty soon.”

“Yeah, probably,” she agreed, coming to a stop outside of an abandoned noodle shop she had eaten in once. “I mean, it’s not that big a secret or anything, but they might be surprised.” She paused, failing to suppress a grin. “Plus, I think Mako’s head will explode.”

“I imagine so.” Asami gave her another of those gorgeous smiles of hers. _She makes it seem so effortless,_ Korra thought to herself. _Even covered in grime and ash, she still looks so elegant._

Now that they were away from any possible onlookers, Korra gave in to the impulse she’d been feeling ever since coming back out of the spirit portal. She slid her hand around Asami’s head, and stepped closer to her, allowing herself the luxury of a long, slow kiss. Asami seemed to have waiting for this as much as she had, because she leaned into Korra’s embrace, wrapping her arms around the Avatar and holding her close while the kiss went on and on.

“I think he’ll just have to get used to it,” Asami laughed when it was done, “Because I don’t think I’ll be able to keep you a secret for much longer.”

“Definitely.” Korra realized that she must be blushing. Nobody had ever made her do that as easily as Asami, but when she looked into her girlfriend’s green eyes, she saw sorrow mixed in with undeniable happiness and she knew what the source must be. “Are you okay, Asami?” she asked. “I mean, I saw what happened with your dad…”

“I really don’t know.” Asami stayed close to her, but her head slumped down, resting on Korra’s shoulder while the Avatar kept her arms firmly around her girlfriend. “There hasn’t even been a chance for me to think about it.”

“We have a little time now.” She sorely hoped that was true. After everything they’d been through recently, some free time sounded not just pleasant but necessary.

Asami nodded, pressing her face more firmly against Korra’s shoulder as she did. “It’s strange. I spent years hating him. For what he did, but also for taking himself away from me. For so long, he’d been the only parent I’d had, and when I found out he was an Equalist, I lost that. And now, just when I was starting to get him back, he’s gone for good.”

Her girlfriend stepped out of her embrace and walked over to a hole in the street left behind by the giant mech her father had given his life fighting. Asami slumped down, taking a seat on the edge of the depression. She sighed, the grief that must be filling her breaking through. The thought of seeing Asami in pain brought a tear to Korra’s eye, and she sat down next to her, placing a hand over the engineer’s shoulder, but waiting for her to say the rest of what she had to.

“A part of me wonders if he wanted it this way.” Asami’s voice was distant as she continued. “If he’d survived, Lin just would’ve thrown him back in prison along with Kuvira. Maybe he thought it would be better to die a hero. I didn’t want that though. Even in jail, I’d rather have had a father than a martyr.”

Korra pulled her arm tighter around Asami. “He did it for you. He wanted you to be safe. And… I think he wanted you to be proud of him one more time.”

Asami turned, placing a soft kiss on Korra’s lips. “That’s nice of you to say and you might be right. I guess I’ll never be sure. I just know I’m just glad you’re safe. When I saw that explosion, I was so afraid…”

Korra ran her fingers over Asami’s face, brushing away a little of the dirt that had gathered there. It was night now, but the glow from the spirit portal provided enough illumination that she could clearly see the relief etched into the engineer’s beautiful features. She’d been through so much, but at least she’d been spared the grief of losing Korra as well. “Hey, I’m not leaving you so easily,” she assured Asami. “Besides, you heard Kuvira. My power is beyond anything she could hope to achieve.”

Her overly pompous delivery got the laugh Korra had hoped for. “Have I ever told you how adorable you are when you’re full of yourself?”

Korra smirked. “I think you might have. I wouldn’t mind hearing a little more about it though.”

Asami rose, brushing the dust of the street off her pants. “How about this: we go back and finish up with rest of these report, and afterwards, I show you just how cute you can be.”

Korra popped back up to her feet as well, taking Asami’s hand. She enjoyed their flirting, but she didn’t want to take advantage of her girlfriend’s grief. “Not complaining, but are you sure you feel up for that?”

“I think it will be a long time before I feel entirely better, but right now, I need to focus on something good. On you.”

Korra blushed once more as she bent in for another kiss. Asami had done so much for her; caring for her after her injuries, waiting for her all the time she was gone, and supporting her when she got back. Now, her girlfriend was the one who needed help, and Korra had no intention of doing any less for her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Getting near to the end, but there's still smut and formal wear before we're done. Please keep leaving your thoughts; I appreciate the feedback.


	5. Chapter 5

There was a spring in Korra’s step as she walked into the tailor’s shop. Getting fitted for formal wear wasn’t exactly her favorite way to spend time, but that hardly mattered today. To be with friends, getting ready for the happy occasion of Varric and Zhu Li’s wedding, was such a welcome change from the doom and gloom she’d been mired in the last few years that they could’ve been doing anything and it would’ve been fine with her.

Only a few steps into the store, she was greeted with the sight of Bolin posing in a bright red and gold suit, his hands on his hips, his chest puffed out with pride.

“So, whadda ya think, Korra? Pretty sharp, huh? It’s almost the same color as Pabu’s fur.”

“I’m, uh, speechless, Bolin,” was all she could think to say. The suit was one of the most hideous garments she’d ever seen, but Bolin seemed so happy that pointing that out felt too mean.

He shook his head. “Of course, since I’m the one officiating, maybe I shouldn’t overshadow the bride and groom.”

“I think that might be a good idea,” she hastily agreed. “I’m sure they have something here that’s, um, less awesome that you could try on.”

Bolin sighed. “I guess so. Still, it would be a shame to let a suit this sweet go to waste. Oh, and did I tell you? Opal agreed to be my date to the wedding. It took a lot of groveling but I’m almost totally forgiven for working for Kuvira.”

How could she not be happy for someone else getting a second chance at love? “That’s great. Really, it is.”

“What about you?” Bolin asked. “Are you bringing a date too?”

The question made Korra freeze. She and Asami still hadn’t decided when to break the news that they were dating, but she didn’t want to lie either, especially since everyone would see them at the wedding. “Uh, yeah,” she told him, “Asami and I are going together.”

“Oh, as friends. That’s cool…” Something in her expression must have given the truth away, because comprehension slowly dawned on Bolin. “Wait, you don’t mean as friends… Oh…” His brain appeared to fuse for a second, but he pulled himself back together fairly quickly. “Okay, that’s cool too,” he said. “I just didn’t realize….”

“Didn’t realize what?”

Mako appeared out from behind a rack of clothes, dressed in a very sharp suit that a few years ago might well have left Korra flustered. She still was, but for a very different reason, and before she could decide what she ought to say, Bolin preempted her.

“Korra’s taking Asami as her date to Varric’s wedding.”

If she thought Bolin had been taken aback, Mako was left entirely speechless. He just stood there with his mouth open as some combination of thoughts Korra couldn’t be sure of ran through his brain.

“Hey, it’s your own fault,” Bolin told him, “You had your chance and blew it. With both of them.”

“That’s not really how it works,” Korra protested. “Asami and I just like each other is all. We’re not dating because of anything anyone else did.”

“No, I… I know that, I guess. It’s just… when you were writing to her and not us, while you were gone, was that what it was about?” Mako said, the tone of his voice making it clear that he wasn’t happy with any of this.

“Kind of, I guess.” Korra held up her hands. “Look, I wasn’t really looking to start a whole conversation today. It just kind of came up. ”

“I suppose you only wanted to see Asami anyway.”

“That’s not fair. I wanted to see all of you.”

“Maybe that’s true, but…” Mako shook his head. “I’m sorry, but I need some time to process this. I’ll see you at the wedding, okay?”

He walked off, leaving behind Bolin, who seemed distressed by the fight. “He’s just, you know, a little surprised,” he tried to explain. “Anyway, Asami’s back there.” He gestured in the direction of a fitting room. “And, uh, congratulations, you guys. You both deserve to be happy.”

She smiled. “Thanks, Bolin. And you and Opal do too. Just, uh, try and find another suit for the wedding.”

“Will do,” he agreed before turning back to the racks.

Korra walked back to the fitting room he’d pointed out, giving a knock on the door. “Hey, Asami, it’s me. Can I come in?”

“Of course, Korra.”

She pushed open the door. “So, uh, a funny thing happened just now. I…” That was as far as she made it. Asami was wearing a bright red gown with gold fastenings that made her look even more stunning than usual. Her shoulders were bare along with a considerable amount of her upper torso and the Avatar wasn’t able to do much except stare at her.

Asami leaned in for a kiss hello, but far from giving Korra time to clear her head, it only left her further intoxicated. A part of her knew she should explain what had just happened with Mako and Bolin, but it suddenly seemed much more important to keep kissing the woman in her arms. One of her hands sought out the bare patch of skin on Asami’s back while the other tangled in her dark hair, caressing the silky strands between her fingers.

Only when they were gasping for air did the kiss finally end, leaving Asami to whisper in her ear, “I take it you like the dress.”

“Oh, yeah,” Korra panted, unable to stop starring at her girlfriend. “You look incredible.”

“Thanks.” Asami brushed her fingers over Korra’s cheek. “Have you figured out what you’re wearing yet?”

“Nah, I figured I’d take care of it today, but now I’m being distracted by your immense hotness.”

“Really? And just what about me is distracting you?” The engineer’s face now bore a devilish smile that made rational thought very difficult for Korra. Hostile benders were no problem, but something about the way Asami was looking at her rendered her powerless.

“Um, everything.” Asami titled her head slightly, making it clear she would prefer a more specific answer, and so Korra tried again. “Well, there’s your eyes. And your hair. You’ve got really great hair. And the way that dress shows off your shoulders. And how it, uh, fits you so well…”

“I think those are pretty good answers,” Asami replied, rewarding Korra with another kiss, but this time she didn’t hold it for long. Instead, her mouth moved on from Korra’s lips to the side of her neck, planting a series of feather light kisses that made the Avatar’s skin light up. As they’d gotten more comfortable with each other, Korra’s responses were only getting stronger, and it wasn’t long before she felt desire begin coiling in her lower belly. It wasn’t an unfamiliar feeing, but the speed with which Asami could summon something so _sharp_ took getting used to.

It made her want more, and her hands ran down Asami’s back, caressing first the exposed skin of her shoulders and then the silky fabric of the dress. Korra could feel a great deal through it, and when she massaged the muscles there, Asami arched against her. Korra pressed back, and as their bodies rubbed together, she tried her best not let out any sounds that could be heard outside of the private fitting room.

She didn’t entirely succeed and when she moaned, Asami closed her lips around her earlobe and whispered, “Perhaps we should go somewhere else. I don’t think a dressing room is exactly the best place for our first time.”

“Our first…” Korra’s eyes widened as she realized what Asami was suggesting. “Are you sure?”

“I am. Even with everything that’s happened, it feels like the right time. And besides,” she added,” brushing two fingers down the front of Korra’s shirt and in-between her breasts, “ I really, really want you.”

The Avatar’s knees felt profoundly wobbly and she found it difficult to hold her voice together enough to say, “Well, okay then. I guess shopping can wait.”

“For you maybe. I’ve already found my dress.”

After quickly adjusting their clothes so that it wasn’t too obvious what they’d been up to, the couple made their way out of the store. Thankfully, Bolin was nowhere in sight, and Asami was able to put the dress on her account without any further fuss.

“So, where to?” Korra asked as she belted herself into the passenger seat of Asami’s Sato-mobile. “Your place is great and all, but I’m not sure we want to run into Mako’s relatives right now.”

“Don’t worry,” Asami assured her. “There’s a private elevator in the garage that will get us up to my bedroom without anyone being the wiser.”

“Great.” They pulled away from the store and were halfway down the street before Korra spoke again. A part of her wanted to forget about everything else and just be in this moment, but this was special and if they were really going to make love for the first time, she didn’t want to be hiding anything when they did. “So, uh, speaking of Mako’s family,” she started out, “I ran into him and Bolin when I was on my way to see you.”

“That makes sense. I didn’t see them when we left, though. Did they find their suits.”

“Um, maybe.” She paused, brushing back the hair the wind had been blowing in her face. _Nothing to do but say it._ “I accidentally told them about us. I know we’d talked about doing it together, but Bolin mentioned going to the wedding with Opal and it just kind of came out.”

“I guess it was bound to happen, given how long we waited to tell them,” Asami replied, thankfully not seeming to be mad at her. “So, what did they do?”

“Bolin was pretty surprised, but he took it well. He said congratulations. Mako was a little more thrown. I suppose I would be too if I were in his place.”

“Well, I hope he didn’t give you too much trouble about it.”

“Not really. More like sulked off.”

“He does that, doesn’t he?”

“Yeah,” Korra laughed. An ex was a strange thing to have in common with your girlfriend, but she wasn’t complaining.

“Still, I hope he’ll come around,” Asami told her. “I wouldn’t want either of us to lose him as a friend.”

“I think it’ll be okay,” Korra assured her. “We’ve all been through worse together.”

She put an arm around Asami’s shoulder, enjoying the feel of breeze on her face as they drove, all of her troubles seeming far away. She felt so much freer with Asami than with anyone else, and that was why she knew without question that this was the right thing.

***

By the time they pulled into the garage, Asami’s restraint was wearing thin. She’d wanted Korra for a long time, but separation, war, and death had delayed this day to the point where she was more than done with waiting. No sooner were they out of her Sato-mobile when she threw her arms around the Avatar, practically dragging her towards the elevator. The doors slid open and she pushed Korra against the back wall, kissing first her mouth and they the rest of her face and neck.

There wouldn’t be anyone to see them between here and the bedroom, so she went straight to work on the buttons of Korra’s green shirt. It fell open, leaving her girlfriend clad in only a simple, black bra and giving Asami a better look at her body. She’d had chances to see it before, but never under circumstances like these, and it was fantastic, slim but perfectly toned from years of training, and Asami couldn’t wait to run her tongue over every inch of skin. For now though, she settled for using her hands, and when the doors opened, she guided the two of them out towards the waiting four-poster bed.

When they made it there, though, she realized she’d been doing most of the kissing and that made her slow down. “Is everything okay?”

“Yeah, definitely,” Korra replied, her expression slightly chagrinned even while her cheeks were flushed with desire. “I just haven’t done this with another woman before and I don’t want to screw it up for you.”

Asami slid Korra’s shirt the rest of the way off of her strong shoulders, smiling at her desire to excel at everything she did. “Don’t worry,” she assured her. “I’m sure you’ll be great. A lot of it should come naturally since we’re both women; just think of what you’d like and try it on me. I can show you the rest.”

“Great.” Korra scrunched up her face. “So, uh, you’ve done this before? With women?”

“Mm hmm,” she purred, leaning in closer so that she could run her tongue along the ridge of Korra’s ear. “When I was in school. But it’s been a while.”

She eased Korra down onto the bed and once the Avatar was settled in, Asami got to work on fulfilling her earlier desire. A shower of kisses fell on the firm plane of Korra’s abdomen, and when a pleased murmur came from her girlfriend’s lips, Asami knew she had her right where she wanted her.

A deft motion unhooked Korra’s black bra and her hands sought out the full, high swell of her breasts. When Asami touched them, the nipples were already hard against her palms, and her mouth followed close behind. When her lips touched one of them, Korra moaned and her hands tangled in Asami’s hair, urging her onwards without words.

She hardly needed the encouragement. The little gasp when her tongue teased the nipple in her mouth was enough to make her own sex throb with anticipation and even while she shifted her attentions to the other breast, she was sliding a hand down, stroking Korra’s stomach. The muscles there were taut now as her girlfriend’s back arched upwards, hungry for everything that was being offered.

Asami couldn’t wait any longer to give it to her. Her fingers found the tie of Korra’s pants, but while she fumbled to get it undone with one hand, the Avatar jumped ahead of her. Her strong hands grabbed hold of the waistband and yanked the pants off along with her underwear. When Asami looked between Korra’s legs, she could already see wetness glistening on her sex, but she didn’t act quite yet. This moment: Korra laying naked beneath her, her body flushed with desire, thighs spreading open for Asami was too perfect not to savor.

But then Korra whimpered, “Please, touch me Asami,” and she couldn’t refuse. The sound of the powerful Avatar, the woman she had wanted for so long, this hungry for her was irresistible.

Her fingers ran through Korra’s slick folds before coming to the outside of her pussy. She brushed the tips over the entrance, and when her lover’s hips twitched in response, she began to push inside. She went slowly, savoring every little squeeze of Korra’s inner muscles around her fingers. The engineer knew how to be methodical with the important things, and there was nothing more important to her than this.

The Avatar’s eyes widened at the penetration and her mouth opened, a breathless gasp slipping out as Asami finished sheathing herself inside of her. There was no part of this moment, no detail she wanted to miss, and she went slowly at first, letting Korra rock back and forth on her fingers as she caressed her inner walls.

Before long, wetness was flowing down her hand, and Asami decided she needed a taste before she went any further. Reluctantly, she withdrew her fingers, but Korra’s whimper of disappointment rapidly turned into a chocked gasp when she saw them slide between her full lips. The Avatar looked as if she might swallow her own tongue, and that only made Asami take her time, sucking the digits clean with a particular relish. The rich, thick taste thrilled her, and if Korra got the same charge from seeing her enjoy it, all the better.

***

Watching Asami licking her fingers, Korra was in awe. The sight was almost unbearably sexy, and there was only one thing she could think of that would make it better.

“Can I see you too?” she managed to get out, and at her words, Asami smiled.

“Of course. It wouldn’t do for us to ruin this before the wedding anyway.” She stood up, unfastening the clasp on the back of her dress and letting it pool at her feet. Of course, her underwear matched, a red lacy bra and panties that looked stunning against her pale skin. Korra knew she was starring, but for once, that wasn’t a problem. She could look as long as she wanted.

She could touch too, and she rolled herself up into a sitting position, the better to pull Asami down into her arms. The bare expanses of their skin felt incredible pressed together and, hungry for more, Korra set to work on Asami’s bra. She found the clasp without too much trouble, and when she tossed it aside, she got an amused laugh.

“What did I tell you? You already know how to do a lot of this.”

Korra didn’t have any practice with what came next, but she was determined to learn. Sliding further down underneath her girlfriend, she began planting kisses first on her collarbone, and then her sternum, and finally her breasts. They looked so delectable hanging above her, and Korra made sure to explore every inch of them, running her tongue over the edges, before making her way towards the stiff nipples at their tips. Asami let out a moan when she teased one with her teeth, and Korra sighed deeply in response. The engineer’s beauty had distracted her, but the sounds of her pleasure had brought back the powerful ache in her core.

She wrapped her legs around one of Asami’s thighs, pressing her damp sex against warm skin, and her lover took notice of her need. “I’m so sorry to have left you hanging,” she breathed. Her voice dripped with sex, and just the sound was enough to make Korra’s clit twitch.

“Now, what was I doing?” Asami asked as she spread Korra’s legs once more, though it was clear that she knew. Her fingers slid upwards, parting Korra’s folds and brushing lightly along the shaft of her clitoris. “Was it this?”

“N… No. But don’t stop,” she pleaded. She’d never had someone tease her this well, building up her desire to so high a point that she could barely take it, and it was delicious.

Asami started drawing little circles with her fingers, and Korra stiffened before pulling her in for another kiss, moaning into her mouth when Asami reached the head of her clit. Her hips pushed back against each new touch, and she clutched onto the engineer’s shoulders, needing to feel as much of her body as she could.

It wasn’t enough for Asami though. Even as Korra felt the first stirrings of her climax, her new lover slowed down. “Korra,” she purred, hunger filling her voice, “I need you touching me when you come.”

Her words almost made that happen by themselves, but Korra managed to bite back her building release. Instead, she reached around, sliding her hand down the back of Asami’s panties. The engineer’s sex was damp when she touched it, and Korra felt a powerful desire to explore. Her relatively sheltered upbringing hadn’t left her with as much experience as Asami, but she was eager to learn all the ways she could to please this incredible woman.

That would have to come later though, because Asami was making it nearly impossible to think about anything besides what she was doing. Her fingers dipped inside Korra long enough to gather more of her wetness before returning to her clit. She was going faster now, and every stroke of her fingers sent little jolts running through Korra’s body. Each seemed to spread out a little further, and it wasn’t long before the Avatar’s whole body felt as if it was on fire.

“Oh, ‘Sami,” she mumbled, “Oh, Spirits, yes, keep doing that…”

“Korra,” Asami breathed back, and her mouth latched onto the Avatar’s throat, sucking on the soft skin there even while she stroked her clit harder.

It was all she could take. Korra’s fingers pressed down against Asami’s pussy, and she clutched at her shoulder as she lost control completely. Her hips bucked one final time and then her body stilled, surrendering completely to the feelings. Her thighs clenched tight around Asami’s hand, but her lover didn’t stop what she was doing, instead only slowing her motions, She drew out everything Korra had to give until the Avatar was left slumped down on the bed, her body so sensitive that the final strokes were almost, but not quite, too much.

Only when she let out a little whimper did Asami stop rubbing her, but she left her hand where it was, resting against Korra’s sex. “You look so beautiful like that,” the engineer whispered, brushing her lips over Korra’s for a kiss that was gentle yet incredibly intimate. When it ended, she followed it up with a shorter but equally soft one, and whispered, “I love you, Korra.”

Even in the blissful haze she was engulfed in, the words made Korra’s heart speed up. They hadn’t said them before, but she’d been thinking them for some time now. She hadn’t wanted to push too hard after everything her girlfriend been through, but now that she’d made the first move, Korra didn’t hesitate to reply, “I love you too, Asami.”

Their lips came together for a third time, and now the kiss was firmer. The warmth and passion it contained was thrilling, neither of them holding anything back. Asami’s hunger was unmistakable, her tongue eagerly pushing past Korra’s lips, even while her dripping sex against the Avatar’s fingers provided further proof of what she craved, even before she spoke.

“If you’re ready, would you please do more for me?”

Desperate need filled Asami’s words, and whatever lethargy Korra might have been feeling was banished. The thought of making the woman she loved come undone for her, of returning the pleasure she’d just been given, was the most delicious thing she could imagine, and she wasn’t going to wait a second longer for it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, we don't have any specific evidence either way, but given how confidant she is going after Mako, I thought it made sense that Asami is somewhat more experienced.


	6. Chapter 6

It was almost painful for Korra to move her fingers away from the heat of Asami’s sex, but since she needed to shift their positions to get a better angle, she had no choice. It was worth it. When she guided Asami onto her back, Korra got her first good look at the engineer’s naked body. Her long legs, her smooth stomach, her impressive breasts: all of them were gorgeous, and the flush of her skin and the hunger in her eyes only made the sight better. All the Avatar wanted was to give her what she was clearly craving; she just had to figure out how.

_Just try and do what I like, right? Okay, that doesn’t sound too hard._

She gave Asami another kiss, and while her lips drank in her sweetness, her hand tugged down the engineer’s panties. Asami lifted up her hips to help, and when the lace came off, it took Korra’s breath away how damp it was. Knowing that pleasing her made Asami wet gave her confidence, but her first movements were still tentative. She needed to get a feel for her lover’s body, and so she began by tracing her fingertips over her outer folds, just enjoying how slick they felt to the touch. Still, it wouldn’t be right to tease Asami for too long, and so Korra spread her, seeking out the hard nub of her clit. It took her a few seconds to find it, but the long sigh Asami let out when Korra touched her there was all the reward she needed.

“Oh, Spirits, yes,” Asami breathed out, her hand clutching onto Korra’s wrist as if she was afraid the Avatar would pull away otherwise. It was something she had no intention the doing. Instead, she stroked the shaft of Asami’s clit with the firm, circular motion she liked best when pleasuring herself, and her lover responded beautifully, her eyes sliding most of the way closed as she rested back into the softness of the bed.

She looked so unbearably gorgeous that Korra couldn’t resist going in for more kisses, planting them along Asami’s lips, her neck, her collarbone, and her chest. Each touch of Korra’s mouth drew out more sighs, but somewhere in there, the Avatar must have let herself get distracted, because her lover gave her wrist a gentle squeeze and whispered, “Keep it steady.”

“Oh, sorry,” she said, placing one more kiss on the base of Asami’s throat, “You’re just so…”

She couldn’t think of the right word to finish the sentence with, but Asami didn’t seem to mind. Her breathing became more rapid as Korra re-established her rhythm, letting out sharp gasps that definitely had to be a good sign. Shifting so that she lay on Asami’s side, Korra caressed her face with one hand while with the other, she kept stroking her clit. A lifetime of physical training helped her to keep her motions constant, especially when Asami’s hips started bucking against her touch. The sight of her girlfriend in the throws of pleasure was sexier than anything had a right to be, and it only made Korra want more. She wanted every part of Asami, to feel her in all the most intimate ways possible.

“I need to be inside you,” she breathed, her voice barely above a whisper.

“Oh, Korra, yes,” Asami gasped, and she spread her legs further, giving the Avatar an even better view than before. The two fingers she’d been rubbing Asami’s clit with slid inside of her easily, her girlfriend’s pussy seeming to welcome her in despite its tightness. Her first few thrusts were careful explorations, but when Asami pleaded, “More,” she stopped holding back.

She began fucking Asami with her hand, and with every stroke, fresh wetness spilled out. It wasn’t long before her lover grabbed at Korra’s hips, pulling her body down on top of her. Her palm was now pressed against Asami’s clit, letting the engineer grind against it even while her fingers thrust deeper inside of her.

Asami had become largely incoherent by then, her words reduced down to a series of “yeses,” sandwiched in-between her cries and moans. Even though she wasn’t the one being fingered, Korra still felt overwhelmed. The evident force of Asami’s pleasure made her head spin, completely absorbing her in the moment. She buried her face in her lover’s neck, kissing her over and over even as Asami’s thighs tightened around her hand. Asami bucked one more time, harder than before, and then screamed even while her pussy clamped down around Korra. Her grip on the Avatar’s body did the same at first, her hands squeezing hard enough on her thighs to leave marks, but gradually it slackened and Korra took the hint, slowing and then stopping her own thrusts.

Propping herself back up on one elbow, she could scarcely believe how beautiful Asami looked. The lines of worry and sorrow that had too often marked her face had been replaced with a radiant joy that made Korra happier than she could describe. She would always regret having hurt Asami with her absence, and this chance to make it right meant everything to her.

***

Laying beneath her lover, Asami felt as content as she could remember being in a very long time. Korra had stopped moving but her fingers remained buried inside, stretching Asami’s pleasantly sore sex nicely. There was still plenty they could work on when it came to technique, but Korra’s vigor and enthusiasm had been incredible, everything she could’ve imagined. At first, neither of them said a word, happy to just enjoy the afterglow, but eventually Korra broke the silence.

“So,” she asked tentatively, “Would it be okay if I had took a taste of you too? I’m really curious about it.”

Asami gave her the broadest smile she could manage.  “I hate to lose your fingers, but go ahead. I do want to watch you.”

With one hand, she helped ease Korra out of her sex, and when the Avatar started sucking on her sticky digits, Asami’s tongue ran over her lips in response. She could still taste a little bit of Korra’s flavor there, and a urge to have more of it hit her hard. It wasn’t her own satisfaction she craved now, but to bring more pleasure to Korra, to show her all the ways this could feel good.

“Let me ask you something,” she began, brushing her fingers over the curve of one of her lover’s breasts. “Has anyone ever used their mouth on you before? On your clit?”

The way Korra blushed at her suggestion was _very_ adorable.   “Um… no,” she admitted, which didn’t surprise Asami. She hadn’t gotten around to teaching Mako to do that with her before they broke up, and as far as she knew, he was the only person Korra had been with.

“Would you like me to do it for you?”

The blush had spread to pretty much her entire face, but Korra still said, “You don’t have to. I mean, I already came…”

Asami gave her a wicked smile. “Once. That doesn’t mean you can’t do it again.”

Korra brightened immediately. “Oh, well, yeah, I guess that’s true. Definitely yes, then.”

Bestirring herself from her very comfortable spot on the bed, Asami reversed their positions once more, laying Korra on her back and giving her a long kiss.

“Trust me, you’ll love it,” she assured Korra, before making her way downwards. Her lover was plenty warmed up by now, but Asami did make sure to run her tongue over her skin as she went, unable to pass up a chance to explore Korra's fantastic body a little bit more. She had seemed relaxed after her first climax, but now there was fresh tension in her frame and Asami smiled at the thought that she was its cause. Korra had so much power, which made it especially thrilling to be able to make her melt like this.

When she reached Korra’s inner thighs, the skin was still sticky from her previous release, but though Asami was happy to taste the rich flavor there, she soon wanted to go straight to its source. Her fingers spread Korra open and her tongue darted out, eliciting a sharp cry when it made contact with her lover’s sex.

“Whoa,” Korra panted, “That’s…”

“Mm hmm,” Asami purred, not willing to stop long enough to give a better answer. Her tongue thrust out again, but this time she pushed past the tight muscle of Korra’s opening, pressing fully inside of her. The next sounds that came from her lover were lower, a deep groan that Asami relished, even while Korra’s back arched off of the bed. Asami’s hands went to the firm swell of her ass, trying to hold her steady while she ate her out. It wasn’t easy with the way the Avatar was responding to her tongue, but it was worth it. Korra was delicious, and Asami had no intention of losing any more of her taste than she had to.

It wasn’t long before a hand tangled in her hair, and Asami could feel the building need in Korra’s touch. She was being selfish, she realized, focusing only on her lover’s pussy when clearly her clit wanted some attention too. Reluctantly, she slid her tongue out, making sure to lick her lips clean before moving upwards. With two fingers she parted Korra’s folds, giving her a better look at the hard bud before trailing her tongue up and down its shaft. The Avatar let out a noise somewhere between a moan and a whimper and Asami firmed up her touch, pressing the tip of her tongue against the head. After a few more strokes like that, she tilted her head up and pulled the clit entirely between her lips. A little suckle made Korra shiver beneath her, and the engineer realized this wouldn’t take much longer. Her last orgasm had left Korra’s body sensitized, and she was too new to this particular pleasure to hold back. That was fine with Asami though. The thought of coaxing out another climax, of her efforts turning the Avatar into a quivering mess of pleasure, was enough to send a thrill through her body, and she redoubled her efforts, sucking steadily on the hard ridge in her mouth.

Korra had been reduced to murmuring her name over and over again, but it was when her words disappearing entirely that Asami knew she was falling over the edge. Her hand pressed against the side of the engineer’s head even while the other fisted in a pile of the sheets, yanking them off of the bed as she came hard. Korra’s thighs tightened around Asami’s head, but she didn’t mind the pressure. It was a sign of how much her lover was enjoying this, almost as much as the liquid that splashed against her chin, and she wanted to savor all of it.

***

Korra couldn’t remember coming that hard in her life and by the time Asami finally let her clit slip out from between her lips, there was nothing left of her need but an extremely pleasant tingle between her legs and a _deep_ sense of satisfaction. Still, when her lover looked up at her with hooded eyes, she felt a final thrill run through her. Asami looked so happy that it made everything Korra had just experienced even better.

“Wow, thank you,” she gushed. “That was incredible.”

Asami crawled up into her arms, placing a lazy kiss on Korra’s breastbone before setting down on top of her. “I thought you’d like it.”

“I’ll definitely have to learn how to do that for you.” The thought made her heart beat a little faster, and she added, “There’s so much I want us to try together.”

“I’m look forward to it,” Asami agreed, but then she slumped down, nuzzling her head up against Korra’s breasts. “Right now though, I think I just want you to hold me.”

“Of course.” She pulled her arms tighter around Asami, running a hand down her back. Korra was pretty good at reading bodies and when she felt a slight tension in the engineer’s muscles, she asked, “Is something wrong? Did I do something?”

Asami sighed softly. “No, you were wonderful. It’s just… It know it’s a weird thing to say, but I’m not used to being so happy. Not after everything that’s happened.”

“I know what you mean,” Korra agreed. A part of her expected something to blow up or terrorists to try and kidnap them or Spirits only knew what else. Her life was never going to be simple, not given that she was the Avatar. Today, though, it was good, and so she added, “But I’m still glad you’re happy now.”

“I am,” Asami assured her, showing a warm if tired smile. “I know it was in the heat of passion, but I wouldn’t have told I loved you if I didn’t mean it. I do, more and more every day.”

“I do too. I think I have for a long time. There was just all this other stuff that kept getting in the way.” She leaned down, kissing the top of Asami’s head. “But not anymore. I wanna be here with you now, no matter what happens.”

Asami purred contentedly and Korra relaxed as well, letting her lover’s weight settle on top of her. Maybe they could have been together sooner, but the waiting did have one benefit: Korra knew that she would never, ever take this for granted.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One more chapter to go, covering the last part of the finale. Hope you enjoyed the smut.


	7. Chapter 7

“I’m looking forward to working with you. But for now, the dance floor calls.”

With those words, Prince Wu spun around and headed off in the direction of a livelier part of the party. Korra was surprisingly ambivalent about seeing him go. Partly because he’d come a long way from the spoiled, useless brat she’d met when she returned to Republic City, but also because it left her alone with Mako for the first time since their argument in the tailor’s shop. So much had happened since then, and she wasn’t sure quite what to say.

Deciding to start off on a relatively neutral subject, she went with, “How’s the arm?”

“Much better,” Mako told her. “It’ll still be in the sling for a little while longer, but it doesn’t hurt as badly at this point.” He sounded relaxed, and that settled Korra’s nerves as well. Today was a day for celebrating Varrick and Zhu Li, not for another fight, but at the same time, Korra did want to try and square things away between her and her ex.

“Better about everything?” she asked. “Because the last time we talked, you were pretty upset.”

“I was and, um, I’m sorry about that. It just threw me is all. It’s not about you and Asami both being girls. I mean, maybe it is a little bit because I didn’t know that about either of you, but mostly it’s because I went out with you both. That makes it kind of weird, right?”

Korra nodded. “Yeah. It probably would’ve thrown me too. Like if it was you and… Okay, I haven’t dated anyone else. But if I had, it would be weird if you dated them too.”

“I still shouldn’t have been a jerk about it.”

That was true, but there was no need for her to make Mako feel any worse than he already did. If he’d come around now, that was good enough for her. “Don’t worry about it,” Korra assured him, “I think we’ve been through enough together to put one fight behind us. I mean, you almost died taking out the reactor on Kuvira’s giant mech… The words ‘thank you’ don’t feel big enough for what you did but I honestly don’t know what else to say.”

Mako shrugged, looking a bit abashed by the praise. “You don’t need to say anything. Whatever happened between us, I want you to know I’ll follow you into battle no matter how crazy things get. I’ve got your back and I always will.”

“And I’ll have yours,” she told him with a heartfelt smile. It felt as if a weight had been lifted from her chest. Nothing anybody else said about it could make her not want to be with Asami, but that didn’t mean she wanted to lose her friends over her new relationship either.

***

The night air felt good on her bare shoulders as Korra sat outside of the banquet hall, enjoying the rare moment of peace and quiet. She was happy for Varrick and Zhu Li, and glad to have made her peace with Mako, but she’d still needed a break from the festivities. There was quite a crush of people at the reception and so many of them had wanted a word with the Avatar that it had gotten to be a little much. She’d spent a lot of the last few years in relative solitude, and large crowds still weren’t her favorite thing.

Still, that didn’t mean she was unhappy to see Tenzin walking up behind her. Her mentor took a seat on the steps, and told Korra, “I just spoke to President Raiko. Tomorrow, he’s announcing a plan to expand the city rather than rebuild downtown.”

She shook her head in disbelief, not so much at the announcement as at the circumstances that had made it necessary. “I bet Aang never could’ve imagined there’d be a Spirit Portal right in the heart of Republic City.”

Tenzin nodded in agreement. “Korra, you’ve transformed the world more in a few years than most Avatars did during their lifetimes.”

It was a strange thought. More that once, she’d wondered if she was accomplishing enough as the Avatar, but hearing Tenzin put it that way was encouraging, a source of motivation as she moved forward with her life. “But I feel like I’ve only just begun,” she told him. “There’s so much more I want to learn and do.”

Tenzin’s face brightened. “You don’t know how happy I am to hear you so full of hope again.”

“I am,” she agreed. It had been a long time since she’d felt so good, but it was a more mature happiness now, tempered by suffering but also now touched by a love she’d never felt before. One part of her life was over, but another, exciting one was just beginning.

“Speaking of happiness, I heard something about you and Asami,” Tenzin said. By way of confirmation, she just smiled, and he added, “I’m glad for both of you. You deserve it after all you’ve been through.”

“It’s been a bit of a bumpy ride, huh?”

Tenzin gave her an understanding look. “I’ve come to realize life is one, big, bumpy ride.”

“I know.” Korra sighed as she thought back over the past few years, over all of the heartbreak and doubt and pain. Once, it had just seemed random and cruel, but lately, she felt as if she had a better perspective on what had happened. “I was in a pretty dark place after I was poisoned,” she told Tenzin, “But I finally understand why I had to go through all that. I needed to understand what true suffering was, so I could become more compassionate to others. Even to people like Kuvira.”

Tenzin didn’t say anything else, but when he put his hand on her shoulder, and she put hers on top of it, she could tell that he understood what she meant. The moment didn’t last for long, though, but Korra wasn’t disappointed given who interrupted it. Asami was walking towards them, looking as lovely as ever in her red dress, but with a worried look on her face. “Excuse me Tenzin,” she told him, “Varrick is looking for you. Something about wanting to borrow a glider suit to fly off the tower.”

Those unfamiliar with Varrick might have thought that was a joke or a ploy by Asami to get Korra alone, but Tenzin knew better. What Korra thought of as his “Worried dad face,” immediately put in an appearance and he dashed off, declaring, “That doesn’t seem like a good idea.”

She and Asami shared a bemused smile at his departure, and Korra asked her girlfriend, “Wanna sit with me for a minute? I’m not ready to get back to the party just yet.”

Asami nodded, and the two of them sat back down on the steps. In the background, Korra could hear the low, steady sound of Naga snoring away, but otherwise there was nothing to disturb her enjoyment of the moment. It was amazing how much just being with Asami improved her mood. Their relationship might have been new, but the years they’d known each other made being together far more comfortable that it might have been with someone she’d just met. The thought that this happiness had been waiting for her all the years she’d been gone caused a twinge of regret to poke at her guts. Korra had said she was sorry for hurting Asami with her absence, but not for its length, and abruptly, she broke the silence.

“I don’t think I ever really apologized.”

Asami looked surprised by that. “For what?”

“For being gone all that time. I had to leave, but I wasted a lot of energy wallowing in my pain instead of really focusing on getting better. I didn’t need to be away for three whole years.”

“You don’t need to apologize for that,” Asami assured her. “These things take as long as they take. I’m just so happy you’re here now. I don’t think I could’ve handled losing you and my father in the same day.”

Asami buried her face in her hands and Korra leaned over, wrapping her arms around the woman she loved. The engineer had put on a brave face, but she was still processing her sorrow, something Korra knew would take time. “I am so sorry about what happened,” she said softly. “Whatever he did, I never would’ve wanted that to happen.”

“Thank you.” Warm lips planted an appreciative kiss on Korra’s neck, and in response she pulled her arms a little tighter around Asami. “I’m just glad I was able to forgive him.”

Korra made no move to break the embrace, letting her lover be the one to pull back first. When she did, Korra asked, “So, what now? Back to the dance floor?”

Asami shrugged. “I’m kind of all danced out.” She gazed into the night sky, a distant look on her face. “Honestly, after everything that’s happened the past few months, I could use a vacation.”

That was more than enough to put a big smile on Korra’s face. Ever since they’d started dating, her relationship with Asami had preoccupied her thoughts, even when they were apart. The idea of taking a break from all the daily distractions and focusing on exploring that relationship sounded wonderful. “Let’s do it,” she declared. “Let’s go on a vacation, just the two of us. Anywhere you want.”

Asami seemed surprised to be taken up on her proposal, and a smile of her own now put in an appearance. “Really? Okay. I’ve always wanted to see what the Spirit World’s like.”

“Sounds perfect,” Korra agreed, taking Asami’s hand in her own and settling back into a comfortable silence. Off in the distance, they could see the golden light of the Spirit Portal shimmering. A few minutes ago, when Korra had been talking to Tenzin, it had been a symbol of a changed world, but now it also held the promise of a romantic adventure with the woman of her dreams, and she couldn’t think of anything more appealing than that.

***

Ahead of them, the light of the Spirit Portal shone brightly, but though she wasn’t sure exactly what she would find on the other side of it, Asami wasn’t afraid. The Avatar was by her side after all, and she couldn’t imagine a safer place to be.

It had been a strange journey, she reflected. Who could have thought that getting into a scooter accident with a pro bending player would lead to meeting the Avatar, let alone to falling in love with her? Certainly not Asami, but in spite of the hardships that joining “Team Avatar” had brought at times, she had never regretted it. It had been an incredible adventure and she didn’t know how she would’ve gotten through the discovery of her father’s Equalist ties if not for the friends she’d made.

And Korra… Asami realized she couldn’t imagine her life without her any more.   When Korra had left Republic City three years ago, it had been hard enough on her, but back then, there had only been the enticing lure of what might be developing between them. Now… They might only have been at the start of their relationship, but already it felt like no other that Asami ever been in.

Korra turned towards her, a smile on her face, and Asami returned it, reaching out her hand even as the Avatar did the same. Their fingers interlaced, and Asami squeezed tight, enjoying the gentle strength in her lover’s grip. They were almost at the portal now, and as they stepped into it’s light, they turned, bringing the two women face to face. The smile on Korra’s face had become positively radiant, and it filled Asami’s heart to overflowing to see it there. Looking into those beautiful, blue eyes, Asami had no doubt that the love she felt was entirely reciprocated.

She leaned in for a kiss and as her lover’s lips met hers, the portal began shifting two of them into the Spirit World. Asami didn’t know exactly what she’d find there, or just what her future with Korra held, but she couldn’t wait to find out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that’s a wrap. I hope you enjoyed reading this story, as I certainly had a lot of fun writing it, and I will definitely do more Korrasami in the future. Thanks to everyone who left feedback; it means a lot.


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